Bright Eyes And Angel Wings
by HaloGatomon
Summary: Set in the Future. Gohan's thoughts and feelings about his dying father. Please R


Disclaimer~I don't own DBZ, never will do so don't sue me k?  
  
Author's Note~This fic is dedicated to my great friend Kate(aka-Night Storm Goddess). Kate was the very first friend I made on MSN and is one of the greatest! Her friendship and dedication(especially to Tai and Matt) has helped me through a lot of crazy times. All my deepest thanks and gratitude goes to you Kate, thanks for being my friend. Also, I was thinking of making a sequel so once you read this please reply and tell me what you think and if I should do a sequel. Once again, thanks for being my great friend Kate! ^^  
  
  
  
Dragonball Z  
  
Bright Eyes And Angel Wings  
  
Soft peaceful music entered the quiet room, soothing the young tears from the Demi-Saiyan. He couldn't seem to stop crying. Everytime he thought he had no more tears left to shed, a new wave would spill from his eyes. He had been having crying sessions for over a week now, with all good reason. It had all started when his father had collapsed during a routine training session with their good friend Piccolo. He had rushed his father to hospital with Piccolo's help only to be told that his father had contracted some sort of viral heart disease. Even worse, it was fatal and there was no known cure. He was going to die.  
The thought of this sent the tears flowing again. Gohan did his best to stop them, but it was in vain. Unknowingly he let out a tiny sob from his mouth. Gohan heard a small moan and looked up from where he was sitting. He was sitting on a chair, his head laying against his arms on a bed which was occupied by his sick father.  
  
"Dad, sorry I didn't mean to wake you." Gohan said, sitting up.  
  
Gohan stared quietly into his father's eyes. No longer were they filled with relentless energy and excitement. No. Gohan only saw pale black orbs filled with pain and suffering. That's all Gohan would and could think of now, those eyes. They always intruded his dreams, turning them instead into never ending nightmares from which there was no escape.   
Gohan could feel himself shaking in fear for what the future held. Each day was a struggle, a struggle to block out the cried for help and the screams of unimaginable pain. For Gohan, it was too much. Yet he never left his father's side. His faith and dedication for him never wavered through out this terrifying experience. Gohan felt he owed it to his dad, especially after everything that he had done for him, his mother and his friends. Sometimes however, Gohan couldn't help thinking that he hoped the disease would kill his father so all the pain and suffering would die, yet most of the time he prayed for the disease not to take him yet. The poor boy was so confused about what he wanted. He knew what his father wanted and he knew what everyone else wanted, but what did he want? He felt like he was being split into two.  
  
"Gohan?"  
  
Gohan opened his eyes. He realised he had been crying hard in front of his father. He instantly felt terrible. Now he had his dad worried about him and that was not what he needed especially now.  
  
"I..I'm sorry dad." Gohan said, wipping the tears from his eyes.   
  
"Gohan…"  
  
"I know dad, I know." Gohan said, lowering his head to hide his sadness. "But it's so hard not to cry. I love you so much dad. You've done so much for me and everyone else and there's no way that we, that I can repay you. Dad, I don't want to lose you. I don't want you to die. I don't want you to die."  
  
Goku almost stared crying himself at his son's sudden confession of feelings, not that he didn't already know how Gohan felt about him. When Gohan lifted his head and looked back up at him, he extended his arms to his young son. Gohan walked obediantly to his father and laid down on the bed as Goku wrapped one arm over his back and stroked his jet black hair with the other, silently hushing him.  
  
"There…is something…you can do." Goku whispered.  
  
"What dad? You know I'll do anything for you." Gohan replied sincerley.  
  
Goku smiled and held Gohan close against his chest.  
  
"Stay with me until the very end."  
  
Gohan nearly burst into tears at his father's request. It wasn't that it was harsh, it was they way he had said it. The cold words pierced his heart like an arrow of death. Yet, Gohan held it back.  
  
"I promise you dad, I'll stay with you."  
  
"Until the very end?"  
  
"Until the very end."  
  
  
"My dad is like a star, bright eyes and angel wings." Gohan said to Bulma, watching Vegeta walk past.  
  
"I couldn't agree with you more Gohan." Bulma said.   
  
"Man Gohan your really brave." Krillin said. "I mean I couldn't face Goku in the condition he's in now, it's too painful."  
  
"Goku owes a lot to you Gohan." Master Roshi said.  
  
"No, I owe it to him. We all do." Gohan replied solomly.  
  
"So, how long does Kakarot have left?" Vegeta asked in a dead serious tone, more than ever.  
  
"Vegeta!" Bulma said, elbowing the Saiyan Prince in his chest.  
  
"What it woman!" Vegeta growled viciously.  
  
"Vegeta muct you always be so direct and to the point?" Krillin muttered.  
  
Gohan couldn't help but let out a small laugh, something he thought he'd never do again.   
  
"I'm not sure Vegeta, no one is." Gohan replied. "I know this sounds horrible, but I can't help but think the virus would do it's worst and get it over with, so I don't have to listen to his cries and screams anymore. But I don't want him to die. I love him so much, I can't bare the thought of losing him."  
  
"We know exactly how you feel Gohan." Bulma said, hugging the young Demi-Saiyan in her warm arms. "We think the same too."  
  
"Yeah, I agree completely with that." Yamcha said.  
  
Vegeta snorted in response, but couldn't deny that he didn't feel the same. But all that changed when a terribly loud pitched scream shattered the silence.   
  
"DADDY!" Gohan cried, breaking from Bulma's hold and rushed into his father's room.  
  
The other Z Fighters rushed to the room too. Goku was in the middle of another pain wrecked torture session. Knowing there was nothing they could do to help, the Z Fighters turned away, attempting to fight back tears. Even Vegeta, his face contorted in anguish for his rival's plight, couldn't help but let one tear slip. Despite what he said and thought about Goku, he knew no one deserved this.  
Gohan ran to his father's bed side and attempted to help him.  
  
"Dad! Daddy please, try to fight it!" Gohan cried desperately.  
  
Gohan slipped his hand into one of Goku's hand and held on tightly. It hurt, but Gohan didn't care. Seeing, hearing sensing his father like this was hurting him much more, much much more badly. The bitter tears stung his eyes and face as they flowed like a waterfall of sorrow.   
  
"I'm here daddy, please fight it. Please fight it."  
  
  
The stars were shining more brightly than they had ever been before this night. Most likely a sign of the inevitable, but no one noticed that much. They were just happy that the stars were actually there. This was the first time in weeks that there were no clouds to obscure the view of the shining sparks, yet again another sign in itself.  
  
"The stars are really bright tonight huh dad?" Gohan spoke quietly, resting his head on his hands which lay still on the bed.   
  
"First time….in a while…eh?" Goku spoke softly.  
  
"Yeah." Gohan replied. "I think they're beautiful."  
  
"Couldn't…agree…with you more Gohan."  
  
An uneasy silence passed while each other cotemplated the meaning of such a display, both ending on the same conclusion. Gohan was the first to speak. He tried to say everything he knew he wanted to say, without giving away the hint that he knew the end was near.  
  
"Dad, can I tell you something, something important and that means a lot to me."   
  
"Gohan…you can tell me…whatever you want. You..know that." Goku replied, gently resting a hand on his son's small shoulder.  
  
"Well, I want to say that I think of you as an star, bright eyes and angel wings. You've always been there for us, for me and you've saved us and helped us when we're down and lonely. I can't imagine living without you, but the thought of you looking upon us from above and knowing that you'll always be there in our hearts, in my heart, well it makes it a little easier." Gohan explained.  
  
Goku smiles affectionately at his son and cradled him close to his chest.  
  
"Yes, I will be there Gohan. For them…for you, I'll always be there when you need me and I'll never leave you. Gohan, I love you and I always will. I'm so proud of you, proud to have a son like you, proud of the things you do, proud of your skills and achievements. Just don't ever forget….nothing can separate us, not even death."   
  
"I won't dad." Gohan replied, moving himself closer next to his father. "I'm proud to be your son, I love you too dad, always have always will do."  
  
Father and son stared out of the moon-highlighted window and up at the silver gleaming gems in the dark night sky, starting to drift into a peaceful sleep.   
  
"Dad?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I will see you again someday, won't I?"  
  
"Yes son, you will, I promise."  
  
"I love you dad."  
  
"And I you son. I love you too Gohan, my precious Gohan."  
  
  
That was the last time Gohan ever saw his father alive. Though the pain of loss was heartbreakingly deverstating, Gohan was glad that it had happened the way it had; free from pain, free from suffering and on such a perfect night. Now he knew his father could finally rest in peace.   
Gohan's feelings, thoughts, beliefs and hopes kept him sailing through. He often visited the place where his father was buried. When he was there he could forget about life, forget about the daily battles to cope. When he was there he could feel freedom swiftly weave itself in and out, dancing and flickering around his body. He could feel his father there. In the wind. In the trees. In the water. In the sky. In the clouds. In the stars. No matter how, why or when they would always shine now, shine for the young boy.   
Gohan would always stand tall and proud. His heart burned with a new meaning and passion he could never describe. The eternal love he had for his father was that of pure dedication and embracement. It was a love that only came from a pure heart.  
Gohan would always wipe the small single silver tears from his eyes and smile proudly upon the setting sun.  
Goku would always stand on the cliff above his son, smiling proud, with bright eyes and angel wings that could stroke the sky with they're gentle touch. 


End file.
